Rjukan Falls (English)[1] or Rjukanfossen (Norwegian) is a waterfall in the western part of the Vestfjorddalen valley in Tinn Municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The 104-metre (341 ft) tall waterfall is located on the river Måna, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the west of the town of Rjukan.[2][3]
| Rjukan Falls | |
|---|---|
| Rjukanfossen | |
 View of the falls | |
 | |
| Location | Telemark, Norway |
| Coordinates | 59°51′59″N 8°28′44″E / 59.866257°N 8.4789004°E |
| Type | Plunge |
| Number of drops | 1 |
| Longest drop | 104 metres (341 ft) |
Historically, the waterfall was a major tourist attraction, being one of the first floodlighted waterfalls by electricity produced by the same waterfall. In 1905, the waterfall and surrounding river were harnessed by the Vemork hydro-electrical power plant to produce power for the saltpetre production at a nearby Norsk Hydro factory.[2]
Name
editThe waterfall is named Rjukanfossen in Norwegian (Old Norse: Rjúkandi). The first element is derived from the present participle of the verb rjúka which means "to emit smoke" or "to emit vapor" (referring to all the froth from the waterfall).[2]
The last element is a later addition to the name which comes from the Norwegian word fossen which means "the waterfall".
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Rjukan Falls, Norway". National Geographic.
- ^ a b c Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (8 June 2020). "Rjukanfossen (Tinn)". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ "Rjukanfossen, Tinn, Vestfold og Telemark, Norway". World Waterfall Database.
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